If an agreement isn’t reached, the faculty may consider further actions such as mediation or a strike, while continuing to seek a resolution.

The process involves discussions between the faculty union and college administration, facilitated by a mediator, to reach a mutually agreeable contract.

The primary goals include securing fair compensation, improving working conditions, and ensuring job security for faculty members, all while maintaining high educational standards.

The negotiations involve representatives from the faculty union, COCC administration, and occasionally, a mediator to assist in reaching an agreement.

Yes! Once the parties have exhausted 150 days of good faith bargaining, either party may call for mediation. If mediation is unsuccessful, then either party may further declare impasse. When impasse is declared, both parties must produce a final offer. After 30 more days have elapsed, the union may strike. Management also has the right to unilaterally implement its final offer. We hit the 150 day mark back on June 13, 2026.

We do! A vote of our entire bargaining unit (all full time and adjunct faculty represented by The Faculty Forum) would authorize a strike if a fair tentative agreement cannot be reached. A strike is ultimately a tool for dispute resolution. We get to decide how much this dispute matters to us.

Yes. Dues paying members who actively participate in a legal, sanctioned strike receive $120 a day from the OEA Relief Fund during the strike, typically paid out weekly. Participation typically involves picket line activities. We will be inclusive of member abilities when providing strike activities. Members are also eligible to apply for one-time relief from the OEA hardship fund of $300.

Federal tax changes have thrown the state revenue forecast into chaos. Fortunately, COCC is less dependent on state financing (at ~25%) than its peers (at ~50%). Also, state lawmakers have viable plans to stabilize the revenue forecasts, such as by decoupling from strategic parts of the federal tax code. Most importantly: The affordability of our proposal is based on the college’s own revenue projections! We believe that the college is being overly conservative in its revenue projections and unreasonable in its costing assumptions and that what we’re asking for is even more affordable than it seems. Furthermore, the college has budgetary authority to do things like re-consider expensive special projects, increase tuition and fees, etc. Bottom line: we firmly believe (and the numbers back us up) that our demands are affordable and sustainable.

Typically, if you are in paid status (i.e. at work or taking paid leave like PTO or sick time) one of the first four days of the month, your insurance premium has been paid and you will receive health benefits for the entire month even if you go on strike. It would be unlawful for the employer to take away healthcare benefits you have already earned just because you go on strike. Employers very rarely attempt to remove health benefits during strikes. But if this employer attempted to do so, our Strike Fund will cover insurance premiums or COBRA.

OEA helped lead the recent victory to extend unemployment protections to striking workers. SB916 goes into effect January 1, 2026, which may result in some uncertainty as public employers, labor unions, and state agencies navigate the new language. Striking workers are eligible for up to ten weeks of unemployment income after a two week waiting period. Unemployment income may need to be paid back if the striking worker receives retroactive pay from their employer for days spent on strike.

If you are on an OFLA/FMLA or Paid Leave Oregon leave that starts before the first day of a strike, you can remain on leave for the duration of the strike if you have approved medical documentation for that time period. If you finish your leave in the middle of the strike, you can then go on strike. Legally the employer might not allow you to access paid sick leave accruals if you get sick during the middle of the strike. Employees on OFLA/FMLA leaves are still legally allowed to participate in pickets as long as it is consistent with your medical restrictions. If you cannot walk a picket line due to a broken leg for instance, you can still sit at a check in table or other modified ways to participate. Legally, if you are on parental leave, you can come to the picket lines.

We hope not. Our employer has all the financial resources they need to provide the fair pay we’re asking for. However, management has not moved significantly on our key priorities, despite being shown that their proposal severely lags their own current spending levels.

We know many of us have great working relationships with your deans and other administrators— the goal of a strike is not to undermine that. The goal is instead to make sure you and your family can continue to afford to live and work with dignity here at COCC and we can continue to attract and retain highly qualified faculty. We firmly believe that our contract asks will lead to a stronger, healthier, sustainable college for our students, community, faculty and yes, even administrators. Our contract demands are professional and aimed at the people who actually make budget decisions at the college (the board), they not personal.

Programs and positions are a management right and the college could make decisions to close or consolidate programs, or eliminate tenure-track positions, whether we strike and get a transformative contract or not. There are a number of protections, both in the contract and in the college’s GPM to make sure that any decisions to close programs or eliminate positions are done carefully, inclusively and with transparency. Furthermore, our Union exists to advocate for you, so although we cannot control what the college chooses to do with programs or positions, we can promise that you won’t be facing it alone.

Community members can support by staying informed, attending public meetings, and voicing their support for fair faculty contracts.

The outcome aims to enhance the quality of education by ensuring faculty are well-supported, which directly benefits student learning experiences.